Lowell man among five charged in state/federal opioid trafficking ring

LAWRENCE -- A Lowell resident was among five people charged in an ongoing joint state and federal opioid trafficking investigation that turned up nearly 2,000 oxycodone pills and more than 200 grams of cocaine.

Yohannel Gil, 28, of Lowell, was held on $100,000 cash bail after his arraignment Wednesday in Lawrence District Court on five counts of distribution of a Class B substance (oxycodone), five counts of trafficking 36 grams or more of oxycodone and one count of conspiracy to violate drug laws.

The arrests occurred Tuesday in connection with a multi-agency investigation into a major opioid traffic network operating in Methuen and Lawrence, Attorney General Maura Healey announced Thursday afternoon.

The agencies involved include the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Massachusetts State Police Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team (CINRET) and state police assigned to Healey's office.

Also arraigned Wednesday in Lawrence District Court were:

* Marco Martinez, 45, of Lawrence; distribution of a Class B substance (oxycodone), trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine, three counts of trafficking 36 grams or more of oxycodone, conspiracy to violate drug laws. Bail set at $100,000 cash.

* Edgar Candelario, 34, of Lawrence; three counts of distribution of a Class B substance (oxycodone), four counts of trafficking 36 grams or more of oxycodone, conspiracy to violate drug laws. Bail set at $25,000 cash.

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* Betsaida Valentin, 44, of Lawrence; distribution of a Class B substance (oxycodone), trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine, trafficking 36 grams or more of oxycodone, trafficking 18 grams or more of oxycodone. Bail set at $15,000 cash.

* Encebio Esperitusanto, 42, of Methuen; trafficking 200 or more grams of cocaine, two counts of trafficking 36 grams or more of oxycodone, conspiracy to violate drug laws. Bail set at $10,000 cash.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. They are due back in court July 13 for a probable cause hearing.

The arrests come on the heels of Healey's Tuesday announcement that she is suing OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and several of its executives, alleging that they misled consumers and prescribers about the addition risks of their opioids and profited from the drug epidemic they helped to create.

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